The President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Christian Addai-Poku has hinted of a possible strike action from teachers if salary arrears due them are not paid by October 15, 2011. Speaking on Multi TV’s current affairs show, pm: EXPRESS, Mr. Addai-Poku noted that teachers have still not been paid their outstanding salary arrears of 13 months. He added that since their migration onto the Single Spine Structure in February 2011, the proposed 20 percent base increase agreed with the fair Wages Commission has also not been paid. Teachers on Monday had threatened to embark on an industrial action to demand payment of their arrears but the planned demonstration did not happen following an intervention from the National Labour Commission. But Mr. Addai-Poku told pm: EXPRESS host, Nii Arday Clegg that if the Controller and Accountant General’s office does not pay at least 2 out of the 13 months arrears due them by the 15th of this month, the teachers will go ahead with their industrial action “because you cannot pay those two months and go and sleep thinking that next year, you will start paying the remaining arrears. So let’s get the road map that if I pay two months now, next month, I’m paying five months and then the next month, I’m finishing payment. If we don’t get that road map, even if they pay 15 percent, teachers will still go on strike”. According to him, “we have discussed it with the powers that be. Nobody is interested in strike. Obviously children are going to be at the suffering end. Teachers are not happy that students are failing but you cannot continue to sacrifice the welfare of the teacher”. Mr. Addai-Poku attributed the high BECE failure recorded this year partly to the upheavals on the teacher front with regards to implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure. He noted that a new base pay would have to be determined in January next year and any further delays in the payment of their arrears might push this forward. The teachers are of the view that the more government delays with the payment of their arrears, the larger the bill would become, making it more difficult to effect payment.